After just one game in Britain, American goalkeeper Tim Howard is already a Manchester United hero. He hopes it won't stop there.
Signed last month from the New York/New Jersey MetroStars of Major League Soccer, Howard saved two spot kicks as United beat Arsenal 4-3 in a penalty shootout on Sunday after the two teams had tied 1-1 in the Community Shield at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Howard also raced off his line to stop Sylvain Wiltord from scoring the winner for the Gunners in the final minute of the game. The Community Shield is the traditional curtain raiser to the Premier League season, which kicks off this weekend.
When Howard blocked Robert Pires' penalty to clinch the victory, United players ran over and leaped on top of him in celebration of a victory over their traditional rivals.
It was Howard's debut on British soil after two winning appearances against Juventus and Barcelona during Man U's four-game preseason US tour last month.
Howard, who appears to have knocked French World Cup star Fabien Barthez out of the starting lineup, is determined to be a long-term success.
"What is most important to me is to play well over a long period of time, not to do it over one or two seasons," he said. "It was a boost to be selected for such a big match. But I have never been one to be over-confident. I know I have the ability but I also still have a lot to learn."
"Anything can happen in a penalty shoot-out and I would have preferred the game not to end that way," he added. "But, fortunately, I got lucky and it helped me win my first medal at the club. Hopefully there will be many more to come."
Howard said he knows Barthez will be out to get his place back and there also is competition from Northern Irish 'keeper Roy Carroll and Spanish star Ricardo.
"There are four great goalkeepers at the club and I don't see myself as first-choice," he said. "We all need to push each other and we all need to compete and then the manager can decide who is going to play. The competition will keep us sharp."
Howard was upset at letting in Thierry Henry's 30m free kick in the first half.
"Thierry got it over the top of the wall and, while it was a fantastic goal, I got annoyed with myself because I got a hand to it," Howard said.
"I thought it was going wide, so it was a bit frustrating to see the ball in the back of the net."
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